When it comes to internet security, you can never be too safe. My choice of security is directly dependent upon who my internet provider is at the time. For instance, when I was with Qwest, they provided "One-Care" free of charge. And now that I'm with Comcast, they have the Norton Security Suite.

I have been with Comcast for quite some time now, and I must say that the Norton Security Suite is by far the best internet security package I've used. I feel completely safe browsing whatever sites it recommends. It is hands down the easiest to navigate and understand, especially if you're not computer-literate. It puts a green check mark by the sites it finds safe to open, and a red symbol for those that it doesn't. It couldn't be much simpler. The clean-up and care is just as easy to maneuver through too.

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Symantec’s Day Of Torture

Posted by Farleyman on 03/09/2007

This is a copy of my email sent 3/7/07 to a "Manager" at Symantec. Currently, there has been no response.
Yesterday, I spent 12+ hours either speaking to or “waiting” to speak with “Sam”, “Patrick”, Jax”, and “Michael” of your office. When not speaking or waiting, I wasted hours trying to fix a computer problem which was caused solely by the downloading of SystemWorks 2005 and the misinformation or absence of valid information furnished by ¾ of the above employees.

Do you care?

Let’s hope so, since I will take the trouble of detailing a “Symantec day of torture”.

My computer uses Windows 98 – I have chosen NOT to buy new one since it is reliable and causes me little problems – until yesterday that is – but the fault lays not in my computer but as you will see, with Symantec.

On March 1, 2007, after continual notifications that my subscription for SystemWorks 2003 will expire on March 7th, I paid you as urged – via my credit card and the internet – the requested fee of $29.99 for a renewal of my 2003 subscription.

Yesterday, March 6th, I noticed that despite payment my subscription had not been extended. After being unable to download the renewed subscription, your web site told me to call Symantec.

At approximately 11:00 AM (EST) I called 1-800-927-3995 - and as was repeated for every subsequent call - waited approximately 40 minutes before speaking to “Sam”.

Summarizing my conversation, Sam advised me that for the same price I could receive SystemWorks 2005 and a one year free subscription. Even with this “generous” offer I was reluctant to change what had worked for me for the preceding four years and chose to renew my 2003 subscription. He activated it and when I ran it I noticed that despite the “renewal”, viruses were only “current” to June 2006! My subscription renewal fee had bought me nothing! Sam more or less said, “I told you so” and offered me a credit for the 2003 renewal and for “only” $10 more a subscription to 2005. Ten dollars more is not “the same price”, but I digress. I gave him my credit card number for payment of $39.95 for 2005 and he promised to give me a $29.95 credit for my purchase of a completely useless renewal of my 2003 edition. I was assured that despite using Windows 98, I would have no problem.

He sent me via the internet the 2005 and told me to follow the instructions – one of which was to delete my SystemWorks 2003 edition. He assigned me “Priority number 'xx' (omitted for privacy)” and we said goodbye and I went about following the instructions.

At the point where the computer was opening Norton, I received for the first time but far from the last, the following message:
Error 1723 There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A DLL required for the install to complete could not be run. Contact your support personnel or package vendor.

I tried to load the 2005 version several times but each time Error 1723 showed up instead. Knowing to call Symantec meant waiting on the phone for 30 to 40 minutes, and wondering if the problem lay with my computer, I tried to “fix" the problem myself with nothing but frustration to show for my efforts.
At about 7:30 PM (EST) I again called 1-800-927-3995 and after the obligatory 30 to 40 minute wait, was connected to “Patrick” who told me the problem was that there were still Symantec 2003 files in my computer and after leading me through a series of web sites, sent me Symantec “Removal Tool” with the assurance that after using this tool, all would be well. I was reluctant to “lose” a human being’s voice and asked him to hold on while I followed the instructions. Patrick said don’t worry and gave me a “special” telephone number to call that would eliminate the waiting – 1-800-927-3991. He also assigned “priority case number” xxx and told me to use that number and I would get fast service in the unlikely event that I had further problems.

Of course I had further problems – that’s why I am writing you.

The Removal Tool apparently did not remove sufficiently since I continued to receive the Error 1723 message.

I called my “special number” and it was anything but “special”. I waited the 30 to 40 minutes again and “Jax’ got on the phone. I told him my situation and he said for an additional $39.95, Symantec would download my 2005 version from their offices. Was I upset? What do you think? Jax advised me that I had been connected to the “expert” line which would only help if you paid them. I told him this was the special number that Patrick had given me. He said I must have pressed the wrong number on the phone. I said, at this point after waiting hours and hours and trying to fix a problem that was not of my making, - it was possible but that in view of the circumstances, please, please, please do not transfer my call which would only mean another wait. He was not moved and transferred me and I waited.

Next up at about l0:00 PM (EST) was “Michael” who reviewed my “special case file”. He sent me to various Microsoft web sites and instructed me to download several files (which he couldn’t or chose not to explain what they were) and to run the removal tool again. He also told me to remove “the Help Spot” file which CAME with the computer. He said, as is often said by Symantec employees, “that should work”. For some reason I was impressed with Michael and he sensed this and told me I could write to his manager at the above email address. At this point I again was reluctant to lose a human’s voice and I earnestly requested him to stay on the line while I tried downloading again. He said he could not, but would call me back in 30 minutes. I was quite moved. (For the record, he never called.)

At approximately 10:30 PM (EST) I followed the new instructions with the newly downloaded files and it worked!

Let us summarize:
· Four calls – an average of 30 to 40 minutes waiting on each call.
· After deleting SystemWorks 2003 as I was told to do, I was without ANY virus protection and was wary of going on the internet.
· After trying to download the first time, I received a series of message from my computer that a number of other applications were not working.

Symantec has cornered the market. The help that you render to your customers is deadly. Here are just a couple of suggestions:

1. Don’t offer a renewed subscription which is completely worthless – the 2003 renewal. You waste everyone’s time and money.
2. Don’t allow your employees to say for the “same price” when in fact it is $10 more.
3. Don’t allow your employees to give partial and incomplete help – this only causes the customer to call back again and again and thus jam your “help” lines. – which in turns creates a 30 to 40 minute wait.
4. Wouldn’t it have been better if the first employee I spoke to stayed with me to see if the problem was solved – which it couldn’t have been – rather than compelling me to call again and again?

Nearly all of my friends and business associates use one of your products. A copy of this email is being sent to them and I am sure they are as anxious as I am to learn of your response.

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Security Fraud

Posted by Robert on 03/12/2011

Dear Sirs;
Two weeks ago I received a computer diagnosis from Norton 360 whose service I used to protect my computer, that it was not performing correctly. I went online to their Tech Dept and spoke to a representative about this problem and apparently the Tech said he had to take over my computer to analyse the problem. After two hours on my computer which was done by a Tech in the Far East, I believe the Philippines, he advised me that I had to call his company and speak to an agent there about this problem. He gave me a Case Number. I called the Norton Agent and was told that I had to purchase an additional service for $69.00 which would solve the problem. I inquired why my original service which was titled as 360 Norton Premier Protection did not provide the necessary coverage and which cost almost $100.00. He told me that my computer protection plan did not cover this specific problem. I consented to the purchase and he asked for my American Express account number which I gave him. After a minute the Tech came back on line and said that he did not put through the number correctly and that I had to give it to him again, which I did. He then told me he would connect me to a very Special Tech that would download the correct program for me which would take approximately 45 minutes. I told him that I had been on the computer with his Technical Staff already over two hours to begin with. This Special Tech assured me that I would be connected immediately and would have the problem solved immediately. He connected me to some department which had me waiting on a call line over 20 minutes with horrible music playing in the background. I hung up and called back the same telephone number I was given originally to Norton and the same Agent answered my call, and said he apologized that I had to wait and would connect me immediately. Well again, I waited another 20 minutes and no response with the same lousy music. I hung up and called back and told the Special Tech that I changed my mind, that I was not going to wait another minute for anyone and to cancel my charge on my American Express Card for the service that I did not get or receive and he became very angry with me and told me that I had to wait on line for the Customer Service Department as they would then cancel the charge. I waited almost 15 minutes and then just hung up in frustration.
So after spending almost 3 hours on the phone, I clicked on to my American Express account on my computer and saw that I was being charged for two charges of $69.00 on my account. I immediately called American Express and told them of the problem and they expressed shock as to what I had experienced and said they would file a complaint for me with Norton and have the charges removed, which they did.
The very next day, my computer started to send out emails to hundreds of people without my consent, only to have the AOL Post Supervisor to send me back hundreds of declined Daemon Declined Email notices that we not delivered and this continues to this day. I have called AOL about this problem and I may have to change my email address that I have been using now some 15 years to many people. I honestly believe that this Norton Company purposely messed up my computer, both with this Tech who had control of it for almost two hours, and when I cancelled out the additional charge of 69.00 dollars. I have since filed a formal complaint with the BBB and Norton and have not heard one word from either.
I will not renew my Norton Protection Plan again when it expires and I think you should inform your subscribers about this terrible company and their overseas misfits whose only intent is to harass you and inflict terrible problems on your computer. I thought I was dealing with a very reputable company, but have found out otherwise the hard way.
Thank you for allowing me to post this terrible problem and hope that it will help anyone who is considering this company for protection to their computer.
Robert
robmaru8@aol.com

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Horrible customer service from supervisor.

Posted by Darin on 09/12/2007

9/12/07
On 09/10/07 I purchased Norton 360 from Symantec from online. Upon installation my computer completely changed. All Icons were changed and many other things. I want waist your time with the small things. I spent two days chatting with techs, Printing forms from links on how to fix the problem, I installed and uninstall Norton 360 three times. That was on day one. After 12 hours of dealing with them I gave up. The next day I tried again. Still not able to receive a live update (error code 5) I received a message that Critical components were missing from Norton 360. Please contact support for help to fix these Issues. When clicking on the support button (to avoid charges) IE 7 would not let me connect. Forcing me to call customer support. The Tech explained that they would be able to fix the problem at the cost of $69.99. I told her that I did not have this problem until I installed Norton 360 and under NO circumstance would I pay one penny for any service to fix what Norton 360 caused. At that time she gave me a number in which I was able to speak with a very knowledgeable Tech. He was very patient with me and explained exactly what I needed to do to get IE 7 back on line. At that time, the tech gave me a url that allowed him to share access to my computer. He began removing all information that I was told to do by the tech on day one. We were on the phone for 58 minutes. At that time the he explained he would have more to do and that we could disconnect the call. About one hour later, Norton 360 was working properly.

I switched screen names to check my balance with my checking account. It would not allow me access. Once again I had to call the 1-877-832-2810 number. After holding for more than 30 minutes. I spoke with a female tech that explained to me that you have to do a live update on each profile. 48 minutes later the service was up and running again. I felt as if I had spent two days in which I could have been making money on my computer that I should be compensated. I ask to speak with the supervisor. He heard my complaint, he indicated that he had a bad connection and would call me right back. ( he was in India because we talked about the time frame and it was 6am there and 9 pm here) About 20 minutes later I received a phone call from New York. He explained that he was told I had a problem with Norton 360. I agreed. He continued with “the problem is fixed now so what is the problem” What is the problem I have sat here for two days trying to fix my computer from a product I purchased from you. I feel as if you should at least be understanding that my time in just as valuable as yours. The supervisor offered me 60 additional days of service. I explained that is not going to work. He then stated 60 days or nothing and then hung up. No goodbye, sorry sir that you have had this problem, Nothing but a major attitude. I then called to speak with the original supervisor and told him that I wanted to cancel my subscription as well as I wanted a phone call from someone that could handle the supervisor and his attitude. He agreed. Stated it would take two weeks to put the money back into my account. He would have someone call me within 24 hours. Time passed and I did not hear from anyone.

I called again HOLDING for more than 15 minutes. Spoke with the representative gave him the priority ID number and allowed him to read the updates. He informed me that a refund had not been processed. He explained he would process the refund and I would receive the funs in my account in 24-48 hours. A little different than what the other supervisor stated. I have placed a complaint with the BBB. I also intend to write Mr. John W. Thompson (who states they are the best in customer service in article above.) In my position I would have stayed with the company, the last tech was excellent and made everything right. However, to pay 79.99 and a supervisor ( that part of the 79.99 went to his paycheck) treat me with disrespect, never say sorry for the problem, and then have the nerve to say 60 days or nothing and then hang up on me. That helped me make my decision really fast. To me it seems like Mr. Thompson is not working in the real world he must be in his own bubble where everything is perfect. I guess I will have to be the one to break the bad news to him, as if he will care. My advice, If you see Symantec or the word Norton, Run as fast as you can.

A few weeks ago, Norton's Liveupdate informed me and a friend of mine that it has some new modifications to download. My friend and I live in different parts of the country. He has a tower and I have a laptop. My friendâs and my computers are around 6-8 years old. Both of us are running Windows XP and Norton internet and virus protection 2006. This new update downloaded Norton's Liveupdate Notice. This is another useless software package that hogs the system resources and provides notices if Norton has some new features and whatever other BS they want to notify you about. I immediately started having problems. When I tried to run Liveupdate, it would not bring up the Liveupdate window. After about 1 week, I found on Norton's website something to indicate that Liveupdate Notice was downloaded and could be removed if desired. I uninstalled it from my system. I downloaded the latest Liveupdate and Norton Internet 2007 to my computer. I was just getting my system to where it appeared to at least run Liveupdate again. I still do not understand why my system is running at 88% idle but it takes forever to open files and run programs.

The excuses for their inefficient code of a person needing a faster processor, more and faster RAM, a higher capacity and faster hard drive are getting old. I am a software engineer who grew up in the days before PCs. We understood the need to design efficient code that minimized RAM, disk, and processor usage while performing complicated tasks. However, this must be another Norton feature. Anyway, I was talking with my friend and he told me how his system started crashing. It eventually got to a point where it would not boot anymore. He took it to a repair shop and was told yesterday that the system hard drive was bad but did not know exactly what was bad about it. A couple of days ago, Liveupdate indicated that it has some more updates. I let Norton update my system. When Norton needed to reboot, I let it. When the system came up, it would hang up. I determined that if I disconnected my firewire and USB devices, the system would boot up. After the laptop was running, I could reconnect the devices and use them.

My system finally got to a point that when I rebooted, it would crash with a fatal system error and try to reboot again. I was able to boot in safemode but could not access my external drives, etc. After many attempted reboots with the same problem, I decided to boot using the last know good configuration. I was able to get my computer up and running. I am not sure when the last good configuration was because it was finding new hardware that came as part of my laptop. I am in the process of backing up all of my data from the laptops hard drive to my external drives. I do not know what will happen when I try to reboot after this. While I would not think that this would cause a problem, perhaps there is some way for them to mess up the system hard drive or software to try to force people with older processors, thus older machines, to upgrade to a newer computer and Microsoftâs latest operating system. I have news for them, my next purchase will be a MAC. My time is too valuable to waste on Norton and Microsoftâs garbage.

Recently I had to reload my operating program on my computer all went well until I attempted to reload Norton 360 but finally I got it loaded but that is when the problem started I new that I would have to renew my subscription soon but was shocked when they debited my checking account for $42 for anti virus and 84 dollars for 360 I immediately called and talked to a customer service supervisor and we agreed that she would refund the anti virus charge which should appear in my account within 3 or 4 business days and would extend my current subscription with the 360 charge. This gave me over 400 days remaining I waited 11 days and no refund once again I called Norton and spoke to a supervisor she assured me that everything was straightened out that because of a technical problem the refund had not been processed and I could expect it to appear in 7 to 10 days. Then yesterday to my surprise I got an e mail from Norton that in seven days that my free trial period would expire and my account would be charged 84 dollars for a subscription once again I contacted Norton and demanded to talk to a third level super visor but an American so I could understand what they were saying. I was assured they would call at 10 am central time on August 31, 2011 that time came and went and no call when I attempted to find out why their only answer was that they wanted to set a new time to date there has not been a satisfactory resolution to my complaints and not call from American management personal.

I intend to write to Symantec world headquarters in mountain view ca but don't expect any different results in the mean time they have my money and I have been charged $108.00 Nsf charges by my bank as a result.

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21st Century Support

Posted by getoverit on 02/26/2011

We've been running Norton Internet Security on our computers for quite a number of years. During the last year or so, I've gone for support on three separate occasions.

From what I can see, Symantec doesn't offer telephone support anymore. But they do have an online chat system that you can initiate from their website. I think this is really smart. Instead of having to wait on hold forever to get help, you get a reasonably prompt response from someone who is probably concurrently working with other customers.

Now I've used this kind of chat service with other companies. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes you just don't get any response at all, and sometimes the representatives are just as useless and misinformed as the people on the phone (e. g. Dell and Hewlett-Packard). Each of the three times with Symantec, their reps. were able to address my issues very expediently. They actually know what they are doing.

For example, Norton was kicking up an error code recently. I looked it up on the Symantec website. The instructions said to download and run a removal tool and then re-install the app. I'm sure I could have done that except that the instructions were admittedly incorrect as to how you get your Product Key, which you need to run the installer.

I went to the online chat service. The guy didn't just give me my Product Key - he established a remote session on my computer, and did the whole re-install process himself. Instead of burning up my time, I was able to get dressed and ready to go out while the removal and install processes were running. And, I'm sure, he was able to work with other customers at the same time. It's a win-win.

He was even able to re-boot the machine after the install ran. Sure enough, Norton was reinstalled and showing no error conditions. The only abnormal thing was that the chat session had been restarted as well but there was no communication from the Symantec guy.

After seeing that things looked OK, I just closed out the chat window. But the Symantec guy actually called me, just to make sure things were OK. And he even extended our license for an extra thirty days.

Symantec has earned some loyalty with this customer.

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Symantec is a Scam

Posted by Sugar_02 on 12/16/2009

I'm so happy to hear that I'm not the only one who has had a tech from symantec crash my machine. I have had two crashes since I purchased Symantec a year ago. It has cost us over $600 to repair the machine! 1st Crash was a virsus and when I got remote access the 1st time they wanted $99 to remove the virsus but in the mist of it all my data was gone. I had to take it to Best Buy to have them remove the virus for $130 and $150 to restore all my valuable data this was in May of 2009 (they advised me then to rid myself of Norton b/c the program is no longer worth calling it a security protection program Got my machine back worked great for about 3 months then I got another virus! Call their tech support after spending 2 days with tech's that are clueless one of them finally claimed they would remove my virus for free! Yeah right - he destroyed my machine after 2 hours and then I got upset and said I wanted someone on America soil to call me to work out a deal to get my machine fixed, never got that called. I had to use other resources to get the number to someone on America soil - got that person. He made a promoise that they would fix my machine for free! Well the bait and switch tactic worked for them. They asked me to take my machine to Best Buy and they would work with them directly, well that never happened! They emailed me offering an additional 1 year subscription and a ghost. I'm unemployed and they would not pay the cost to repair my machine that the dumb tech destroyed. Best Buy again, fixed my machine and advised me again not to put NORTON on my machine because it would soon or later destroy my machine for good. I took their advice and now I'm using Webroot. It is wonderful! No crashes - all virsuses are caught and guess what "Customer Service is AWESOME! My machine is not slow any longer and I'm happy... However, after 3 months of deciding on what to do about symantec costing me over $600 bucks - we have decided to take them to small claims court. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE THIS PRODUCT IT'S A WASTE FOR THE SINGLE CONSUMER USER. They truly make their money from brand name and the Enterprise licenses - charging the companies maint. fees. YOUR MAINT FEE IS THE $99 EVERY 3 MONTHS TO REMOVE VIRUSES... THEIR SUBSCRIPTION PRICE IS TO LOAD THE MACHINE WITH THEIR CRAPPY SOFTWARE and THEN RIP YOU OFF B/C THEY ARE NOT PROTECTING YOUR MACHINE. BUYER BEWARE PLEASE....SCAM, SCAM

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Norton is a SCAM

Posted by dustydad on 09/25/2009

A couple of months ago I bought my daughter a laptop for school. Of course it came with the Norton software included,(Free Trial version).
About 11 days before the free trial ran out she got infected with everything under the sun. I couldn't get anything but Norton to pop up, every other security software was blocked. So I went ahead and bought the $59.95 yearly promotion that was offered to me.
The computer crashed and when I tried to contact Norton to get a refund of my money I find out, instead of them charging me the promotional price of $59.95 my card got charged $79.92.
Norton informed me that their software was the best and that it must have been two anti virus softwares running at the same time. I only had what they offered. But yet I am informed that it was my mistake.
Now, I have got the computer running again but, not without paying a hefty fee. And that doesn't count the money that Norton stole from me for services not reenderd.
DON'T GET NORTON

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Shoddy Product-Pay For Support From Day 1

Posted by bob w on 02/07/2009

I have used Norton products for several years. I renewed my subscription to Norton 360 Premier Edition as a two year contract on Jan. 25, 2009. After running the latest update (I have the system set for automatic updates) the program told me that the computer was infected with a virus that needed "manual assistance" to fix. The Norton website gave me detailed instructions on what to do. After following those instructions, the virus was still detected.

I checked the Symantec website for info on the virus. The website stated that they are aware of the virus and the latest update would fix the problem. NO, IT DOES NOT.

I contacted "Customer Support" via the website. I felt like I was in a used car lot, where the person I was chatting with had only one capability. Charge me $100.00 and then send me to a technician who might fix the problem.

Where is the disconnect here?

1. Norton did not detect and remove the virus
2. Norton is aware of the virus
3. Norton claims the latest version of the Update will detect the virus (IT DOES NOT!!!)
4. Norton tech support is a scam to collect money to fix problems that Norton is aware of and claims that their software will protect your system from